Apparatus for detecting proportion of oil in oil/water mixtures

Abstract

Apparatus for separating oil from water in the process of transferring oil/water mixture at a predetermined rate from a source to an output includes means for indicating when the percentage of oil exceeds a predetermined value. By pumping the accumulating oil from an oil output sump in the apparatus at a predetermined pumping rate, a predetermined fraction of the oil/water mixture separator transfer rate, and by detecting level of oil rising in the sump above said range with the oil pump operating, the system is made responsive to the proportion of oil in the mixture above a certain percentage. Any one or more of various responsive functions may thereby be initiated such as sounding an alarm, terminating an industrial process, momentarily interrupting operation of the oil/water separator, etc.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus to detect presence of oil above a pre-determined proportion in water comprising separator means having output means with separate receiving compartments for the respective liquids, said separator means adapted for connection to a source of a mixture of such liquids and operable to transfer such mixture therefrom to said output means at a first substantially constant volumetric rate while separating the oil from the water for discharge thereof into their respective receiving compartments, rate responsive measurement means operatively associated with the receiving compartment for the oil, calibrated in relation to such first volumetric rate and operable during such transfer to detect and respond to rate of arrival of such separated oil in such latter receiving compartment exceeding a predetermined fraction of said first volumetric rate, said measurement means comprising pump means operable to transfer oil from said receiving compartment for the oil at a second substantially constant volumetric rate, a predetermined fraction of said first volumetric rate, and associated detector means operable to detect the condition of volumetric rate of separated oil entering said latter receiving compartment exceeding said second volumetric rate by sensing oil in said latter receiving compartment rising above a predetermined upper level therein during operation of said pump means, and energizing circuit means for such pump means including first switch means operable to initiate operation of said pump means in response to level of oil in said latter receiving compartment rising above a predetermined second level, below said upper level, and second switch means operable to terminate operation of said pump means in response to level of oil in said latter receiving compartment dropping below a predetermined third level, below said second level. 
     
     
       2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the oil/water separator means comprises an endless band of predetermined width comprising reticulated porous synthetic foam of resilient material having hydrophobic-oleophilic properties, a separator chamber, means movably supporting said band in said chamber and operable to advance the band progressively with the band's width dimension upright and its endless extend moving in a defined horizontal path, squeeze roll means stationed in said chamber at a point along said path and operable to squeeze the band substantially across its full width as it advances past said point so as to purge it of mixture liquid as it approaches said point and so as to permit its resilient re-expansion to ingest mixture liquids as it leaves said point, said chamber comprising a purge space adjacent the opposite side of said squeeze roll means connected to receive mixture from said source, and means in association with said chamber including said receiving compartments operable to separate oil from water squeezed from said band into said purge space by said squeeze roll means.